bagworm

noun bag·worm \ -ˌwərm \

Definition of bagworm

: any of a family (Psychidae) of moths with wingless females and plant-feeding larvae that live in a silk case covered with plant debris; especially : one (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) often destructive to deciduous and evergreen trees of the eastern U.S.

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Recent Examples of bagworm from the Web

The ideal time to spray for bagworm control is the first and second week of June with Malathion.

— dick crum, Indianapolis Star, "Dr. Dirt: Tulip trees suffer heat stress," 11 Aug. 2017
Subject to spider mites and occasionally bagworms, but both are easily stopped.

— neil sperry, star-telegram.com, "Plan(t) on these top 10 best groundcover choices," 16 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bagworm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.